A few months ago I went out to restock on my favorite MAC Foundation which is the Studio Fix and to my shock and horror I came to the realization that the price shot up again! R380 for a MAC Studio Fix Foundation! Now I was almost certain that the price had already gone up the previous time I purchased the foundation but I couldn’t be certain. It was that day that I decided enough is enough and I needed to find a suitable dupe!
The beauty community is one that always has each others backs so I decided to turn to my blog readers and followers to find out whether they knew of any good dupes. I didn’t expect it but so many suggestions started pouring in and some of the popular ones that popped up were L’Oreal Infallible Pro Matt and L’Oreal True Match. Obviously L’Oreal proved to be a strong contender so I went out to my local Clicks store where all the colors were in stock plus they were running a promotion so I saved sum $$$ too! I ended up picking the L’Oreal Infallible Stay Fresh Foundation (not the Pro Matt as that was too drying on my skin)
I ended up paying about R150 with the discount I got for the foundation so already I was winning! The color I got was 230 Radiant Honey which seemed as close to my MAC NC37 as can be. I think I might actually need to go one shade lighter in the L’Oreal Infallible so I’ll test another one next time round. Below I’ve got swatches as well as a comparison so that you can see how the 2 compare to each other:
It’s a foundation we all have loved for years, Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 is a cult classic makeup. MAC Studio Fix is a best selling beauty product at the brand, the medium to full coverage makeup is super at covering up flaws and it’s mattifying so hugely useful for oily skin. Im looking for an exact replica of MAC studio fix fluid in NC42. Its the PEEEEERRRFECT color match for me but breaks me out!! I have tried revlon colorstay which is apparently the 'best' dupe for it. From the shades natural tan all the way to toast AND they're too beige. They dont have that. Show more im looking for an exact replica of MAC studio fix fluid in NC42. Its the PEEEEERRRFECT. He found NARS equivalents of the popular MAC foundation. He’s a make up artist and he also works at a NARS counter in Vancouver that is located right next to a MAC counter. While at work, he compared the NARS Sheer Glow foundation. Shades with MAC. In between customers he put a squirt of a NARS foundation on his hand, ran to the MAC counter and found the equivalent. MAC foundation may be worth the splurge, but these drugstore dupes are equally impressive. Every beauty junkie knows that MAC makeup has a stellar reputation in the cosmetics community, large in part to the consistency and complexity of their products.
MAC Studio Fix NC37
♥ Price: R380.00
♥ The consistency of the foundation is thick which contributes to maximum coverage
♥ Many shades to choose from
There have been quite a few labeled “dupes” for MACs Studio Fix Fluid a were the Revlon Color Stay foundation, L’oreal Pro Matte and I believe the Milani 2in1 I've heard people compare it to SFF. MAC NC45 is a liquid foundation with a matte finish and medium-full coverage; it retails for $30.00 and contains 1.00 oz. We recommend shade NC45 for dark tan skin tones with yellow, moderately yellow undertones.
♥ MAC has a pleasant foundation scent
♥ Not available in many stores
♥ The packaging is of higher quality and looks more attractive
♥ Works well with primers and even sunblocks
♥ Face can appear oily later in the day
L’Oreal Infallible 230 Radiant Rose
Mac Studio Fix Liquid Foundation
♥ Price: R185.00
♥ The consistency isn’t as thick as MAC, however coverage is very close to maximum
Mac Studio Fix Fluid Nc45 Dupe
♥ In South Africa, available in 14 shades
♥ L’Oreal has a scented fragrance which might not appeal to everyone, I didn’t like it
♥ Available in a wide variety of stores including drugstores and pharmacies
♥ The writing on the packaging seems to come off easily and you need to pump the foundation a few times to get the initial runny foundation out before using
♥ When used with a sunblock, it causes streakiness to appear on your face
♥ Long wear and matt finish the entire day
So as you can see, both foundations have their pros and cons. It’s up to you to decide what’s more important to you when wearing a foundation. Personally I used the L’Oreal Infallible Foundation throughout my entire New York trip when I was there in September. The weather was hot and balmy and my face held up the entire day.
I’m happy to announce that I’ve converted over to L’Oreal foundation for my everyday foundation as it wears well on my skin, it’s cost effective and the coverage is probably the best-cheap-non-MAC foundation I’ve used. If MAC was a 10/10, I’d say that L’Oreal comes in at a well-deserved 8/10 and if it’s going to cost me half of what MAC costs me, then I’m happy 🙂
Finally a strong MAC Foundation dupe has been found!
XOXO